Index



(No Model.)

W. .A. JUDGE. INDEX.

Patented Feb 17,1891.-

ATTORNEYS mum, WASHINGTJN, n. c.

NITED TATES ATENT FFICE.

INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,756, dated February 1'7, 1891.

Application filed August 7, 1890. Serialllo; 361,290. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM A. J UDG-E, of Santa Barbara, in the county of Santa Barbara and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Index, of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in indexes; and the objectof my invention is to provide a convenient index to contain the desired names, numbers of pages, &c., and also to provide means whereby the names may be instantly displayed.

To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

I in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the case of the index and with one of the indexsheets tipped so as to expose the names thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sec- .tion of a modified form of the index.

The index-sheets are contained in a case A, which is open at the top and at one side and which is preferably rectangular in form, although it may be made in any desired shape and of any suitable material. Near the inner end of the case A is a transverse partition A, which serves as a rest for the index-sheets when they are inclosed in the case, and the height of the partition should be such as to maintain the index-sheets 'in a horizontal position when they are inclosed in the case. The case is also provided near the open end with a transverse partition A which is lower than the partition A and is adapted to sup port a displayed sheetin position. The partitions are capped with an elastic strip. A red I3 extends transversely through the case near the open end and near the lower corner, said rod being held in position by suitable nuts I) on each end, although it may be held in any suitable manner, and pivoted upon the red are a series of bars 0, said bars being curved slightly near the point where they are attached to the rod and having the ends which are pivoted upon the rod thickened slightly, as at C, so as to hold the bars and the index sheets which they carry a suitable distance apart. The bars Care also provided with laterally-extending ears 0, said ears being long enough to extend slightly beyond the outer edge of the case when the bars are in a vertical position within the case.

The ears 0 are lettered, the letters on the ears corresponding to the initial letter of the names upon the corresponding index-sheets, and the ears are arranged one above the other upon the bars 0, as best shown in Fig. 1, so that all the ears and the letters thereon will be exposed to view. Extending from the bars and at right angles to the same, so as to project from the upper side when the bars are in a horizontal position, are strips D, which are provided with a suitable backing D and the said strips are attached to the backing in such a manner as to form grooves (Z between the strips and the backing, in which the stripsE of card-board or othersuitable material may be placed, the strips D, the backing D and the strips E all going to make up the indexsheet D.

The strips E are long enough to extend between the strips D, and are wide enough to have a name conveniently written thereon, and it is obvious that a strip may be taken out at any time, if desired, and a new one inserted. The strips E may be arranged in such a manner that the second and third letters of the names thereon will come in alphabetical order, and any particular name maybe found at a glance. The index-sheets D have projecting from one side (the lower side when the sheets are inclosed in the case) a strip d, which, when a sheet is open, as shown in Fig. 1, will extend inward between the adjacent sheets, and thus serve as a guide for the index-sheet. When the index-sheets are all closed and a person desires to find a particular account or apage carryinga desired name, he merely presses downward upon the appropriate ear 0, thereby causing the index-sheet to swing outwardly, so that the name appears to view.

As shown in Fig. 3, the case A is rectangular in form, is open at the top and on one end, and extending transversely through the case, near the lower corner and near the open end, is a rod B, which carries the index-sheets F. The index-sheets F are provided near the front end with a suitable bindin g-strip f, from which extend ears f, similar to the ears 0 described above and having the letters of the alphabet arranged thereon, one ear being arranged above another in the manner already described. The sheets F are also provided with a diagonal slot F, which fits over the rod 15, thereby pivoting the sheet thereon, and which permitsthe easy removal of a sheet when a new name is to be written upon it. The sheets F are divided into spaces, which are distinguished by the different vowels in the manner common toledger-indexes, so that the names upon the sheet may be appropriately arranged under each vowel.

To display the names upon a sheet F, press downward upon one of the ears f, thereby causing the sheet to swing outward in the manner already described. In both the forms of indexes the projecting ears may have several letters thereon, and a corresponding sheet may be made to carry names beginning with several letters, as there are fewer names beginning with some letters than with others. It is obvious, too, that several sheets may be arranged to carry names beginning with the same letter and the projecting ears may be lettered accordingly-as, for instance, M M the.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the names are conveniently arranged and that any desired name may be instantly brought to view by merely pressing downward upon the ear bearing the initial letter of the name.

Having thus fullydescribed my invention, 1

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters edge with a laterally-extending ear, the said ears being arranged in different horizontal planes, substantially'as set forth.

2. An index comprising a case open at its top and at one end, the series of sheets pivoted at their lower outer corners in the case at the lower end of the open side thereof and each having on its lower edge a guide projection (1 and on its outer vertical edge a lateral ear, the ears being arranged in different horizontal planes, substantially as set forth.

. An index comprising a case open at its top and at one end, the inner transverse support A, the lower outer support A the transverse rod between the two supports, and the sheets mounted at theirlower outer corners on said rod and provided with ears on their outer vertical edges arranged in step-like order, the lower edges of the sheets being adapted to normally rest on the projection A and their vertical edges to rest on the support A when the sheets are swung up, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the casing open at its top and at one end, of the bars 0, pivoted therein and having horizontally-extending grooved bars or strips D to receive the slips between them and provided with ears 6 on their outer vertical edges, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the casing open at its top and at one end and provided with the rod B, of the vertical bars G, curved inward at their lower ends and apertured to receive said rod, the ears e on the outer vertical edges of said bars, and the horizontal grooved strips D, projecting from said bars and adapted to receive the slips, substantially as set forth.

\VILLIAM A. JUDGE.

lVitnesses:

FRANK M. WHITNEY, GEO. W. COFFIN. 

